Psoriasis, sometimes mispelled as: soriasis, is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that affects the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out signals in error that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. The body mistakes its own skin cells for some kind of infection and this causes dry skin.
There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic. The most common form is plaque psoriasis and it appears as raised, red patches or psoriatic lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells doctors call "scale". Psoriasis can occur on any part of your body and it is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, psoriatic arthritis, or possibly depression.
According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7 million Americans are inflicted with psoriasis. No one knows exactly what causes psoriasis, but it is believed that there is a genetic component. Most researchers agree that the immune system is somehow mistakenly triggered. This in turn speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin cell matures and falls off the body's surface in 28 to 30 days. A psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to the surface. Instead of falling off or shedding, the cells just pile up and form lesions. Scalp psoriasis can form on the top of your head.
In addition to its physical impact on your skin, psoriasis can also affect your emotional, psychological and social well-being. This visible and lifelong disease may change how you view yourself and interact with others. There is no cure, but many different treatments, both topical (on the skin) and systemic (throughout the body) can clear psoriasis for prolonged periods of time. People often need to try out different treatments before they find one that works for them.
The unpredictable nature of natural psoriasis makes psoriasis treatment a challenge for a lot of people. Home remedies don't work. A wide range of treatments are available. No single psoriasis treatment works best for everyone, but something will work for most people. It is not at all easy to predict what will work for any particular individual; but, it is important to be open-minded and willing to work with your doctor to islolate a treatment that will work for you.
About The Author:
|
Learn More: Dermasis For Psoriasis
|
| This article was written by J. Mark Soveign who owns and writes for Wertheim Communications LLC as well as for Mooker.Com |